Crossword Genius

Essential nit-picking (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

critical

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'essential' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for critical that I've seen before include "serious" , "Decisively important" , "Looking for faults, like reviewer?" , "like one in an armchair perhaps" , "Adversely commenting" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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